Québec: Summer 2017

The Summer 2017, June 1–August 31

Pierre Bannon
235 de Vimy, app. 2
Saint-Bruno de Montarville, Qc J3V 6G9
pbannon@videotron.ca

Olivier Barden
2942 rue de l’Aubier
Québec, Québec G1M 3V1
iridosornis@gmail.com

Normand David
202-53 Hasting
Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Québec H9G 3C4
normanddavid@videotron.ca

Samuel Denault
1991 rue Saint-Zotique Est
Montréal, Québec H2G 1J2
samueldenault@hotmail.com

Recommended citation:

Bannon, P., Barden, O., David, N., & Denault, S. 2020. The Spring 2017: Québec. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-8Ji> North American Birds.

The summer of 2017 was very dry, with temperatures slightly above normal in eastern Québec. By contrast, western Québec, especially the Outaouais Valley, was cool and wet. To illustrate this difference, Rimouski received only 65 mm of rain during June–July, while Gatineau had 379 mm. It was an interesting summer for rarities, especially early in June, when the Region was graced by its first-ever Painted Redstart. A Western Grebe and a Crested Caracara followed soon after. Then in July, a small flock of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, a Tropical Kingbird, and a Swallow-tailed Kite were also prize finds.

Waterfowl through Owls

Providing a third record in the past three summers, five Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were photographed on a golf course at Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel 2–3 July (G. Vézina, fide M. Boisclair), followed by five or six (probably the same group) at L’Épiphanie 11–13 July (L. Potvin, m.ob.). Two Mute Swans continued at Boucherville until at least 8 June(m. ob.), one was at Lake Barnard (Maskinongé) 8 June (M. Juteau), and one at Saint-Barthélemy 13 June–3 July (J. Masson, m. ob.). Now expected, four Trumpeter Swans spent the summer at Val d’Or (m. ob.), while four at Saint-Fulgence 21 June onward were more surprising (J. Fortin, m. ob.). A late Tundra Swan made a brief stop at Val d’Or 15 June (C. Siano, R. Ladurantaye). Besides a few solitary male Eurasian Widgeons reported throughout the Region, a pair was unusual at Baie-Comeau 1 June (J. P. Barry). A Western Grebe was photographed at Gatineau 4 June, the second record since 2011 for this locality (N. Von Maltzahn, m. ob., ph.). Again this summer, a Eurasian Collared-Dove appeared at Saint-Édouard-de-Lotbinière 15 July into Aug. (A. Déry, L. Roy, m.ob.). Now almost expected on the North Shore, a White-winged Dove stopped at Baie-Comeau 1315 July (N. Chouinard, JP. Barry). Yellow-billed Cuckoos seemed more common this summer, with at least ten birds reported, the northernmost at Les Bergeronnes 1 June (P. Côté et al.).

A late northbound Marbled Godwit was spotted at Sept-Îles 10–11 June (M. Laferrière). Two or three adult Long-billed Dowitchers were considered southbound migrants at Baie-du-Febvre 25–29 July (R. Piché, B. Dumont, D. Trescak). A Willet at Baie-du-Febvre 2–4 June was identified as belonging to the inornatus ssp. (Y. Dugré); two birds also stopped at Isle-Verte 4 June (F. Shaffer, C. Maurice), and then one at Cacouna 21 June (J. Roy, R. Rousseau). Only two Wilson’s Phalaropes were detected: at Baie-du-Febvre 7 June (m. ob.) and at Saint-Barthélemy 29 July (S. Denault). No breeding records have been confirmed in recent years. Rare in summer in south Québec, 2 immature Little Gulls were discovered at Saint-Barthélemy 24–26 June (L. Simard, J. May), one at Lachine (Montréal) 27 June–6 Aug. (V. Létourneau, m.ob.) and one at Gatineau 4 July (R. Dubois). An adult Laughing Gull at Saint-Barthélemy 30 June was locally unexpected (I. Chavez, C. Araya). Now probably extirpated from the Region as a breeder, a Roseate Tern showed up at L’Istorlet (Magdalen Is) 16–20 July (C. Roy).

Two American White Pelicans were identified at Lavaltrie 22–24 June (S. Proulx). An apparent Great Blue Heron x Great Egret hybrid was nicely photographed at Sainte-Julie 9 June (Li Ying Lou). Single Snowy Egrets were sighted at Cacouna 16–22 June (M. Beaulieu, m.ob.) and at La Malbaie 24 June (L. Messely et al.). An adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was a nice find at Acton Vale 5 July–6 Aug. (D. Demers, m.ob.). Single Glossy Ibises turned up at Magog 14 June (J. Vallières), Saint-Barthélemy 18–19 June (M. Isabelle), Dundee 22 June (L. Auclair), and Acton Vale 21 July (P. Fradette, JP. Le Bel), while three were at Repentigny 29 July (S. Denault). Single Black Vultures were identified at Yamachiche 10 June (M. Bourassa, L. Valois, L. Auclair), Saint-Jean-Chrysostome 13 June (C. Deschênes), Saint-Maurice-de-l’Échourie 22 June (G. Blanchette), L’Anse-à-Valleau (Gaspé) 28 June (É. Fortin) and Coin-du-Banc (Percé) 21-22 July (O. Barden, V. Giroux, A. Florea). A Swallow-tailed Kite was briefly seen and photographed at Barachois 16 July (J. White). A first-year Swainson’s Hawk at Rivière-Ouelle 28 July was an unexpected find for mid-summer (C. Auchu). A Great Gray Owl photographed at Gatineau 3–4 June was out of season (C. Simard).

Woodpeckers through Orioles

Seven different Red-bellied Woodpeckers at Saint-Armand (three adult males, four juveniles) 21 June (N. Bourdon) shows the remarkable success this species has recently enjoyed in this region. A Crested Caracara at Yamachiche 8–9 June (M. Bourassa, m.obs., ph.) was one of the highlights of the season, representing only a 3rd record for the Region. A Tropical Kingbird at Bridgeville, 10 July to mid-Aug. (JF. Rail, S. Gagnon, m.obs.) provided only the 6th documented presence for the province. A Western Kingbird at Grande-Vallée 22 June(R. Besançon) was an unexpected vagrant at this time of the year. Fork-tailed Flycatchers have been reported almost every year since 2005, and this year was no exception, with an immature at Saint-Angèle-de-Laval 7 June (H. Crête, J. Brunelle, J Gélinas, ph.).

A White-eyed Vireo 15–24 July at l’Anse-à-Beaufils (J. Wiseman et al.) was the first ever to be reported in this month. Also particularly noteworthy at this time of the year were two Yellow-throated Warblers, one at Granby 27 June–4 July (C. Côté, m. ob) and another at Mont-St-Hilaire 4 July (R. Boulet). A territorial male Prairie Warbler at Coaticook was last seen 26 June (G. Gilbert, m. ob). The award for the bird of the year goes without a doubt to the Painted Redstart that brightened Domaine de Maizerets, Québec 1–2 June (L. Cossette, D. Larochelle, m. obs. ph), a first presence for the Region and only the fourth in Canada. Extralimital LeConte’s Sparrows this season included two singing males: one at Yamachiche 9–28 June (F. Grenon, L. DenBesten) and another at Pointe-aux-Outardes, 29 July–1 Aug. (J. P. Barry). The only Yellow-headed Blackbird of the season was a male seen in flight at Longueuil 10 June (D. Daigneault). A pair of Orchard Orioles has successfully bred for a second year in a row at Standstead (S. Kohl), while a single male was also observed at Saint-Anaclet-de-Lessard 12 June (R. Saint-Laurent).

Photos–Québec, Summer 2017
Hover or click on each image to read the caption.